The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1887-02-19
A LESSON OF The DAY.
How Little Men Know Of the Troubles Of
Their Netghborn

Their Netghborn
[Boston Horaldl
A thought brought home TO the mind
with especial force by late occurrences
in this vicinity is how little men know
of the cares and the troubles of those
about them. People are prone TO de-
preciate their own good fortunes in the
world and magnify the success of others.
Most often. perhaps, is this the case
in the view taken of the happiness of
men possessed OF apparent wealth.
Wealth is assumed, especially by those
who have little of il, 10 bring inevitable
comfort and happiness. There was an
old story, told TO the youth of an earlier
generation. of barefoot boy who was
In the habit of seeing another lad roll
by him each day in carriage, and who
been so fortunately cast as that of this
pampered scion of wealth. One day
the envious lad obtained n view of the
interior of the carriage. and found the
inmate to be helpless cripple. There
are older people who may well take
this lesson home TO themselves. The
heart knoweth its own bitterness. and
no heart is without trouble. Skeletons
stand in many more closets than the
world wots of. "Let no man loo envied
till the grave has closed over him. I" was
the remark of philosopher who had
had profound observation of human
life
The business of money-making at its
best is heavy thorn upon the SENSIBLE
tiles of men. Many fail where one sue
ceeds in it. Many men appear 10 suc-
coed when their whole life Is struggle
against failure, perpetual fight to pre-
vent ruin. Others, still worse, are each
day engaged in an encounter TO ward
off both ruin and disgrace. The cares
of business weigh upon the mind rs
much rs the cares OF poverty. The
one is a straight, simple effort for sub
sistance. Ii presses hard at times, but
il is without complications, and when
the days work is ended the toll of effort
in itself insures slumber We are re-
ferring, of course, TO the toll of the
laborer who has work and is free from
care. In our land honest labor is almost
always secure of subsistence; the ut
most privation that is needed is in the
self-denial of more or less Of the luxu-
ries of life. AS the laborer sees men
reveling in their luxuries he is apt TO
repine as TO what fortune has denied
himself. He forgets the compensation
possessed in sound health and clear
conscience. Here is the most substan-
tial basis Of all for happiness, and next
TO it comes the cultivation Of spirit
that asks only for such luxuries as are
reasonably within reach
This might be easily learned rs a
lesson OF what we have seen within the
week-not alone that wealth fails TO
bring happiness but that the apparent
possession of wealth is often delusiye.
Riches are only relative 10 human
needs. Micawber's humorous estimate
of them is sound, and good sense.
Here was man in the receipt OF sala-
ries that aggregated many thousands of
dollars, and with opportunities that
seemed 60 tho superficial eye greatly
beyond this; yet, with it all. he was
poorer than the poorest He had no
money through years of his life that he
could call his own. He lived like the
man in the familiar tale, imprisoned in
dungeon, who saw the walls daily
closing around him, and faced with each
uprising an inevitable fate that advanced
one step farther. What satire on
happiness was such life, and how ter
ribly tragic was the scene whom the end
at length came--when the last subter-
fuge was exhausted, and there were only
enough hours remaining to allow full
contemplation OF the character Of the
close that must come.
There has seldom been n more inn
pressive example Of how idle is envy /;
Of how little the adventitious circum-
stances of life affect the happiness of
men, of how much n mans happiness
depends upon what he makes OF his own
lot in life. III those who see evidences
Of the favors of fortune showcrcd upon
individuals about them are led to think
by this and many other events that
have preceded il of what may be the
reverse side of the picture, il will he
likely TO induce the reflection that the
good fortune Of life Is not so une1ually
bestowed after all. "The tools are to
those who can use them" and because
men have gilded tools put in their
hands il 10y no means follows that they
are using them even for That material
comfort which thoughtless people con-
ceive TO bc the most desired OF posses
siOns